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Episode 1417: Defining Fun Facts
Date August 14, 2019 Summary Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller banter about how Gleyber Torres’s ownership of the Orioles and Aristides Aquino’s home-run spree are emblematic of 2019, fun facts about players’ accomplishments in their first X games, home-run fun facts and the juiced ball, Juan Soto vs. Ronald Acuña, Jr., two recent Scott Boras quotes, the Dodgers’ near-record extra-base-hits game, and Jeff Mathis’s offensive ineptitude and defensive prowess, then discuss an ESPN oral history of the 1994 strike, touching on whether the sport would have survived the extensive use of replacement players, the change in media coverage of baseball labor issues, what the biggest loss would be if the rest of the 2019 season were canceled, and more. Topics * Ben and Sam's memories of the 1994 strike * Tim Kurkjian's oral history of the strike * What if MLB had used replacement players long-term? * Baseball during WWII * Does the public relations battle matter during a strike? * Differences in player pressure points from 1994 until now * Changes in media coverage of baseball labor issues * Biggest disappointments if the 2019 season ended today * Strange player reflections on the 1994 strike * AL Central race Intro Chance The Rapper, "Juice" Outro The Rock*A*Teens, "Pretty Thoughts Strike Down the Band" Banter * Gleyber Torres hit his 13th home run of the year against the Orioles. Ben says he is a bit tired of the home run fun facts. * Sam suggests that the themes of the Torres fun fact (juiced ball, historically bad Orioles, and superstar young players) make it a defining fun fact. * Themes of 2019 fun facts and how to view home run fun facts in the juiced ball era * Juan Soto's consistency in year two * Ronald Acuna Jr. is near a 30-30 season and has an outside shot at a 40-40 season. * Reviewing Scott Boras quotes in Homegrown and Big Fella. * The Dodgers narrowly missed the chance to set a record for most hits in a game without a single. They had 11 extra base hits before singling with two outs in the ninth. * Rooting for records that players are unaware of * Episode 1415 follow-up: Sam is upset at Ben for calling it an umpire perfect game when only one team received perfect calls. * Jeff Mathis' career longevity in the face of his awful offensive numbers Notes * The Orioles have given up 6 or more home runs in a game 7 times this season. * Sam points out that Juan Soto's value is depressed compared to other star offensive players because he does not play as high valued of a defensive position. * This season when Jeff Mathis is catching the Rangers' pitching staff has an ERA near 4.00 and a OPS allowed of .727. Without Mathis their pitchers have an ear of near 6.00 and an OPS allowed of .900. * Jeff Mathis has a 9 wRC+ this season. For a career as long as his has been, only Bill Bergen (mentioned in Episode 996) has a lower career wRC+. * Sam says that in 1994 he listened to both the Lion King soundtrack and Rage Against the Machine a lot. * Ben and Sam discussed the 1994 strike previously on the 20th anniversary in Episode 513. Links * Effectively Wild Episode 1417: Defining Fun Facts * Yankees Gleyber Torres sets divisional era record with 13th home run against Orioles by Andy Nesbitt * The Era of Breakout Batters by Ben Lindbergh * Aristides Aquino Is Punishing Baseballs by Jay Jaffe * How the Reds honed Aristides Aquino's swing by C. Trent Rosencrans * Players with most batting runs through age 20 * Can Baseball Expertise Be a Bad Thing? by Sam Miller * The Scioscia About Face by Sam Miller * Baseball believes in Jeff Mathis by R.J. Anderson * Worst offensive careers (minimum 2500 PA) * Worst offensive single seasons (minimum 200 PA) * An oral history of the 1994 MLB strike by Tim Kurkjian * 'Lords of the Realm,' the Book That Foreshadowed the Last MLB Strike by Ben Lindbergh * MLB's Quiet Free Agency Has Made Players Louder Than Ever by Emma Baccellieri * An oral history of the 1994 MLB strike from both sides of the bargaining table by Evan Drellich * Sportswriting Has Become a Liberal Profession - Here's How It Happened by Bryan Curtis Category:Episodes